As we move into the autumn and a new school year, and the memories of this long hot summer begin to fade, what are the key things on which school leaders, and particularly governors, need to focus?
After the traumas of this past couple of years, one key point will be to ensure that the school’s post-Covid recovery is going well. Questions to consider will include: staff well-being (including the resilience of the leadership team); what adjustments now need to be made to the medium-term school strategy; and the importance of open, empathetic communication with stakeholders.
When looking at strategy, it will be essential to consider both the school’s local context and the wider national and international scene. In the political sphere our sector remains under scrutiny, with talk of grammar school expansion back on the Conservative agenda and the threat of imposing VAT on school fees on Labour’s.
The removal of mandatory business rates relief is already a reality in Scotland and seems likely to happen down South as well.
Recession
Other significant financial pressures must be faced too. The current inflationary environment will lead to higher expectations on salaries and is hiking up other costs. In the meantime, the likelihood of recession on the near horizon and a challenging taxation environment for fee-paying parents implies a significant hit on budgets in the next couple of years. Careful planning and very robust cost control will be vital. And that’s not to mention the rise in contributions to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme and the recent court judgement about holiday pay in the Harpur Trust v Brazel case.
School leaders will need to be fully up to speed on these matters. Other areas to watch out for include, as ever, inspection and regulatory compliance. In England, an ISI consultation is underway on a new inspection framework to take effect in 2023. There is no doubt this will usher in changes for all our member schools in the future. And safeguarding should always be at the top of our agendas.
Healthy and positive
With all this in mind, governors and leadership teams will need to have Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the centre of their strategic approach as they seek to ensure that the culture in school is as healthy and positive as it can be.
Again, this circles back to the key question of strategy – but it is also about effective implementation. The best strategy and sharpest policies in the world will not keep children safe and help them thrive, without the right people in place and a clear alignment between values and day-to-day practice. For governors, the good news is that AGBIS is here to help; there are great resources on our website (agbis.org. uk) and we have a highly responsive members’ helpline.
This article was first published in the latest School Management Plus print magazine, out now.